Operating means for enclosed switches



June 20, 1950 R. N. ROWE 2,512,505

OPERATING MEANS FOR ENCLOSED swrrcmas Filed Sept. 8, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet1 7 g.4 $HIIIMIAUI I Inventor: Qayrn'ond N. Rowe,

H fs ox ney June 20, 1950 g, N. ROWE 2,512,505

OPERATING MEANS FOR ENCLOSED SWITCHES I Filed Sept. 8, 1948 2Sheets-Sheet 2 nullnmlwmw,

Inventor Raymond N. lQowe,

y Hi A torney.

Patented June 20, 195

OPERATING MEANS FOR ENCLOSED SWITCHES Raymond N. Rowe, Plainville,Conn., assignor to The Trumbull Electric Manufacturing Company,Plainville, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application September 8,1948, Serial No. 48,269

'7 Claims.

My invention relates to manually operable switches and particularly tofront-operatecl switches, and is an improvement upon devices of the typeof my former application Serial Number 773,381, filed September 11,1947, now Patent 2,475,338. In such a construction, the contactingmechanism and protective devices are mounted within a box and theoperating knob or handle is mounted on the movable cover usually at thefront of the box. 7

It is my present object to provide simple and practical means forinterlocking the handle with the actuating shaft of the switch when thecover is closed and manually operable means for releasing the interlock.I

I have also provided means for locking the handle in the releasedposition when the cover is open.

One object is to strengthen the handle. y

Another object is to ensure proper andsmooth connections between thehandle and the actuating shaft when the cover is being closed.

Another object is to improve the action of the interlocking parts.

One object is to more securely hold the handle to the cover.

Another object is to combine the above features in a form which ispractical to make and reliable in operation. 7

The handle and its associated parts are assembled as a unit and attachedto the cover of the switch box so that the cover may be opened andclosed and automatically disengage and engage the handle from and withan interior switch actuator and permit opening and closing the switchwhen the cover is closed. The handle contains a bolt for interlockingwith the switch actuator so as to prevent the opening of the cover whenth switch is on or off. I also provide a device for automaticallylocking the handle against rotation when the cover is opened. Specialmeans is provided for defeating the interlock with the actuator when ithas been padlocked and means for automatically reengaging the interlockwhen the cover is closed.

Fig. 1 is .a side view on a small scale of an enclosed switch embodyingmy invention, part of the box being broken away to disclose the outerend of the switch actuating shaft.

Fig. 2 is a front view, full scale, showing the handle on a fragment ofthe cover in the closed circuit or on position and showing the handle indot-dash lines in position to permit the cover to be opened with thecircuit open or off.

Fig. 3 is a, sectional view taken on the plane 2 of the line 33 of Fig.2 and showing the interlock with th actuating shaft.

Fig. 4 is a similar view but showing the relative position of the handleand actuating shaft when the handle has been released and the coverslightly opened.

Fig. 5 is a view of the under side of the handle and its mounting plator ring in the closed circuit or on position of the switch.

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the parts in the off or opencircuit position of the switch.

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the handle taken on the plane of theline 'I'I of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail showing the handle padlocked.

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the handle parts with themounting ring.

The box ID of any suitable type has a cover II hinged to it in the usualmanner and contains contact mechanism of any suitable type such as shownin my application Serial Number 713,194, filed November 30, 1946, nowPatent 2,494,314. Such a switch has a predetermined on position andanother predetermined off position but no intermediate position. In sucha switch an actuating shaft I2 projects toward the cover to coact withthe handle I3 which is mounted on the outside of the cover. This handlemay be conveniently formed of molded insulation and has a hub I4 mountedin a ring I5 which is secured around an opening in the cover by screwsinserted from inside the cover seated in seats I6. The handle hub isrotatable in the ring I5 and held to the ring and thus to the cover bythe inner plate or ring I! which is secured to the hub of the handle byscrews I8.

The ring I5 has a lug I9 which projects into a groove 20 in the handleto limit the turning of the handle in the ring.

The outer end 2| of the actuating shaft I2 protrudes from the box andthe handle has a recess 22 to receive the end 2I when the cover isclosed. Th end 2| is fiat and the walls of the recess are tapered so asto more smoothly receive the flat end of the shaft and the inner end 23of the recess is wedge-shaped so as to be sure and guide the handle onto the fiat end of the shaft when closing the cover in case they are notin close alignment at both sides. By rotating the handle, the shaft I2is turned to actuate the switch per se. The center of the end 2I iscoaxial with the center of the switch actuating mechanism (not shown) towhich the shaft I2 is connected, and the wedge-shaped extension permitsa lim- 2,512,505 I v f ited free rotation of the handle about the end ofthe shaft.

Inside of the handle is a locking bolt 25 which is slidable transverselyof the handle in a slot 25 and ha a prong 26 adapted to engage in arecess 2'! in the end of the shaft to lock the cover closed when theparts are in the position of Figs. 5, 7 and 8. This bolt 25' is biasedto an unlocked position of Figs. 4 and 6 by the spring 28 which icompressed between the shoulders 25" of the bolt and a shoulder [3' inthe handle.

The control bolt 29 slides in the same slot in the handle and a spring39 stronger than spring 28 is interposed between the two bolts tendingto press the shoulder 35 on bolt 25 against shoulder 32 on bolt 29.Spring 28 presses both bolts outwardly of the ring as will be laterdescribed.

To look the cover closed with the switch on, the handle should be turnedto the position of Fig. 2 or 5.

In the position of Figs. 3 and 6, the spring 23 pushes the two boltsoutwardly so that shoulder 33 extends into notch 35. To interlock thebolt 29 with the shaft end 2! when the cover is closed, it is onlynecessary to rotate the handle from the position of Fig. 6anti-clockwise thereupon the shoulder 33 of bolt 29 will ride in alongthe cam 3 and force bolts 29 and to the locking position.

To look the cover in the open circuit or off position, the handle isrotated to the position of the dot and dash lines of Fig. 2 (or the fullline position of Fig. 6) in which position the bolt 29 can be pushed byreason of the notch 35 which provides clearance for bolt 29.

The handle may also be locked in either the position of Fig. 2 or 5 or 8by pushing the bolt 29 inwardly and inserting a seal or padlock 38 inthe opening 35' (Fig. 8). This is made possible by reason of the notch35' in the abutment ring.

When the parts are in the so-called locked position, the bolt '25 maynevertheless, in an emergency, be retracted by the use of a pin or othertool (not shown) inserted in the hole 3'! in the bolt 25. r

The plunger 40 in the handle is pressed by a spring 4| to the positionof Fig. l when the handle is in the open cover position at which timethe handle and base ring are interlocked against rotation of the handleby reason of the interengagement of the shoulder 62 in the notch 43 ofthe ring. Should the cover be opened when the switch is on, the shoulder32 of the latching plunger 49 will project into notch 43 and preventrotation of the handle.

When the cover is closed, the plunger lil engages the projection H onthe actuating shaft which retracts the plunger from the ring and freesthe handle for rotation. When the handle is turned anticlockwise (Fig.6), the cam shoulder 34' engages the shoulder 33 on the bolt 29 andforces the bolts into. the position in which the cover is interlockedwith the actuating shaft.

In order to reinforce the interlocking action, I provide a T-shapedmetal insert 56 in the outer wall of the handle. This insert has anopening 5| into which the prong 52 of bolt 25 projects when the boltprong 26 is interlocked with the recess 2'! in the end of the actuatingshaft. The bolt 29 slides in the slot in the handle on the upper surfaceof the ring and the bolt 25 slides on bolt 29 and the insert serves as areinforcing abutment to assist in holding the cover closed.

I claim:

1. In an enclosed switch construction, a box containing controlmechanism and an actuating shaft extending outwardly from the box, acover hinged to the box, a handle having a recess to receive the end ofthe shaft, a mounting ring for the handle secured to the cover, ananchorage plate connecting the handle to said mounting ring, said handleand anchorage plate being rotatable about said mounting ring and alooking bolt slidable in said handle for engaging said actuating shaftto lock the cover closed.

2. In an enclosed switch construction, a box containing controlmechanism and an actuating shaft extending outwardly from the box, acover hinged to the box, a handle having a recess to receive the end ofthe shaft, a mounting ring for the handle secured to the cover, ananchorage plate connecting the handle to said mounting ring, said handleand anchorage plate being rotatable about said mounting ring and alocking bolt slidable in said handle for engaging said actuating shaftto lock the cover closed and a spring-pressed plunger coacting with thering to prevent rotation of the handle when the cover is open.

3. A switch construction comprising a box containing the contactmechanism and having an actuatin shaft with a recess in its outer end, acover hinged to the box, a handle rotatably mounted on the cover andhaving a recess with walls to embrace the outer end of said shaft, abolt slidable in said handle to engage in the recess in said shaft whenthe cover is closed and an anchorage mounted in the handle to interlockwith said bolt when said bolt is engaged in the recess of said shaft.

4. In an enclosed switch construction, a box containing controlmechanism and an actuating shaft extending outwardly from the box, acover hinged to the box, a handle having a recess to receive the end ofthe shaft, a mounting ring for the handle secured to the cover, ananchorage plate connecting the handleto said mounting ring, said handleand anchorage plate being rotatable about said mounting ring, a lockingbolt slidable in said handle for engaging said actuating shaft to lockthe cover closed and a cam edge on said ring for forcing the bolt intolocking engagement with said shaft when the handle is rotated.

5. In a switch, a box containing switch contact mechanism having anactuating shaft having a flat outer end with a rounded edge, a coverpivoted to the box and having an operating handle with a recess toreceive the flat outer end of the shaft when the cover is closed, theinner wall of said recess being tapered to assist in centering saidhandle on said shaft and the inner end of said recess being wide enoughin the center to receive the flat end of said shaft and wedge-shaped onboth sides of the center to allow for a substantial turning of thehandle without turning said shaft.

6. In a switch, a box containing switch con tact mechanism having anactuating shaft having a fiat outer end with a rounded edge and havingan opening to receive the tip of a locking bolt and a cover for the boxhaving an operating'handle with a recess to receive the fiat outer endof the shaft when the cover is closed, the inner end of said recessbeing wide enough in the center to receive the fiatend of said shaft andwedge-j shaped on both sides of the center to allow'for a substantialturning of the handle without turning said shaft and a bolt slidable inthe handle to interlock with the opening in said shaft when the cover isclosed.

7. In a switch, a box containing switch contact mechanism having anactuating shaft having a fiat outer end with a rounded edge having anopening to receive the tip of a locking bolt, a cover for the box havingan operating handle with a recess to receive the flat outer end of theshaft when the cover is closed, the inner wall of said recess beingtapered to assist in centering said handle on said shaft and the innerend of said recess being wide enough in the center to receive the flatend of said shaft and wedgeshaped on both sides of the center to allowfor a substantial turning of the handle without turning said shaft and abolt slidable in the handle to interlock with the opening in said shaftwhen the cover is closed.

RAYMOND N. ROWE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

